And Maybe Light Will Prevail
by The Protector of Light
Summary: Eraqus wants to befriend his fellow apprentice. Xehanort would rather just be left alone… but sometimes persistence pays off more than one would ever have imagined. Xehanort/Eraqus. Kinda sorta AU, written in a day-to-day episodic format. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**And Maybe Light Will Prevail**

Chapter 1

0o0o0

Eraqus wasn't sure what to think of the new apprentice that had joined him in his training. It wasn't that he minded having someone else studying under his teacher and Keyblade Master… in fact, it was pretty nice to have some of the attention off of him and to have someone to spar with besides a fully trained individual whom would always beat him no matter how hard he tried. It was just that Xehanort seemed so dissatisfied with everything.

The silver haired teen had left his home world and ended up here at the Land of Departure on his own. No one had aided his coming there. He had arrived on his own accord, seeking to travel between worlds, and now that he was here, he seemed like he was still lost in his thoughts of the universe. Xehanort wasn't the friendliest person, whereas Eraqus was quite accepting of anyone he had ever met.

They seemed to be clashing because of these factors. Eraqus was perfectly happy staying where he was and training, perfectly willing to accept this newcomer into his company, and he was doing everything he could to break through the teen's shell and figure out what kind of person he was on the inside… but it was beginning to grow awkward being the one doing all of the talking; he wasn't even sure that his words were being heard at all.

That was the reason that after training was done for the day Eraqus didn't utter a word as he left the main hall, no smile on his face as he let his mind wander as to what he could possibly have done wrong to make Xehanort dislike him.

"Hey, wait up!" he heard Xehanort call from behind, jogging to catch up.

Eraqus halted, turning around, thoroughly confused. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Concern was evident in his golden eyes, something that Eraqus had not been expecting at all. "You usually start talking on and on about… well, everything… as soon as we're done training."

Puzzled, Eraqus was at a loss as to what to say. He couldn't admit that he had simply given up for the time being. "I'm fine. I just have something on my mind." That was as good of an excuse as any, wasn't it?

"Oh… okay then." Xehanort looked relieved. "I thought something was seriously wrong if you weren't talking my ear off."

He had been worried? "Nope, nothing's wrong… See you around." He turned to continue down the path.

"Wait!" Xehanort called, making Eraqus stop again. "Don't you want to spar or… or something? You usually do."

Turning to face his acquaintance, Eraqus knew he couldn't hide his perplexed expression any longer… but if he had actually been able to get through to Xehanort, he couldn't readily admit that he had given up. "Oh, um, sure… actually, do you play chess?"

Xehanort shrugged. "I have a few times anyway. So are we going to go do that?"

Eraqus nodded with a smile. "Come on," he agreed. He turned around and headed towards the castle.

…

"That was fun!" Eraqus commented once the game was finished at they were each headed towards their individual rooms. "We should play again sometime!" Eraqus smiled. It was a quiet game, so he hadn't really learned anything new about Xehanort; the mysterious teen's secrets were still hidden. But at least he knew now that Xehanort didn't hate him for some unknown reason.

"Hmm," was the only response Xehanort offered, but Eraqus caught a smile sneaking onto his face. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah!" Eraqus waved and headed to his room, leaving the other teen behind. His excitement that Xehanort had shown some signs of at least not disliking him had yet to fade. It was a start. Eraqus wanted to be friends with his fellow apprentice. Xehanort seemed like such an interesting person. He was quiet, but he seemed nice enough. It was refreshing to find out that there might actually be a chance that a friendship could start. Maybe he could figure out what was going on in his head, find out what had made him leave his world… Xehanort was an enigma, and maybe he would actually be able to see what was beneath the surface.

0o0o0

Xehanort scowled as he fell face first onto his bed. He was exhausted from all of the training even before they played chess for three hours; three hours of chess. Really. That was just ridiculous… especially considering he was the one who kept asking for rematches when he lost. That stupid Eraqus was apparently extremely good at the game or else Xehanort was really bad at it, which he didn't really want to think about as an option.

Stupid Eraqus with his stupid cheerful attitude, with that stupid smile and those stupid blue-grey eyes that sparkled when he was excited; that dumb kid with all of the talking and insisting on trying to get to know him… Xehanort wondered why he had even cared when he thought something was wrong earlier. Hadn't he been trying _not_ to enjoy his company?

But Xehanort did enjoy being around the annoyance, and he knew that there was little he could do about it. The boy was so _nice_ that it was impossible not to like him.

Xehanort knew full well that something had been wrong, and that it had more than likely been something he had done. It was ironic that he had finally accomplished his goal of ignoring the problem until it went away only to suddenly change his mind and think that Eraqus wasn't a problem at all. He realized now that he had been subconsciously enjoying having the pest nearby, and for that reason he knew he had to say something to stop him from going away.

It wasn't like he ever had very many friends. Maybe this would be a nice change of pace; not that he was going to become friends with the nuisance. No, not at all. He was just tolerating him…

Well that was a lie, and Xehanort knew it. He hated to admit it, but he was starting to like the frustrating teen. He was becoming less annoying by the day and more of something that he knew to expect, much like training and the other little things. That's why it had been so jarring when Eraqus had left without a word earlier. He didn't even say goodbye; he just walked out.

But Xehanort wasn't ready to admit that he liked him at all. Not yet anyway. Yes, he was just enduring his time with the teen. "Stupid Eraqus," he muttered into his mattress, but he couldn't stop the smile that reappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

0o0o0

"What's so special about the Keyblade War?" Eraqus asked their master.

"It is a lesson that we must keep in mind," he told his students. "Our purpose as wielders of the Keyblade is to protect word order; our duty is to protect the light and keep the darkness at bay. This is the story that we need to keep from repeating. It was the Old Masters' mistakes that caused the worlds to be as they are to this day… we must prevent any further harm from being done."

Xehanort said nothing. Wasn't the key to that lesson to create and keep balance? If they were using the light and holding back the darkness, wasn't that preventing balance from being achieved? He was aware that he wasn't knowledgeable on the subject, and he knew that he would be told that he was wrong if he voiced his thoughts. But was darkness really such a bad thing? Darkness and light need each other to exist. Without one, the other could never be. So in the end, wasn't darkness as important as light?

"Do you have any questions, Xehanort?" their master asked. Xehanort shook his head. "Then you are dismissed."

Xehanort had many questions, but they were questions that he would seek his own answers to. He couldn't blindly believe everything their master said. His own words were contradictory. Someone with so little control over voicing their own thoughts was not to be trusted without caution. No, Xehanort would seek answers on his own, and he would make his own decisions as a result.

He watched their master leave the room. He was not surprised that the moment their teacher was out of sight he heard quick footsteps as Eraqus rushed over. "Hey Xehanort, what do you make of that story?" he asked.

"Hmm," Xehanort replied with a shrug. Eraqus wouldn't understand. He never questioned a word that came from their teacher's mouth… so it wasn't worth commenting and ruining the little chance that remained of ever becoming friends with Eraqus… not that he wanted to anyway!

"Surely you have some opinion of it," Eraqus pressed. "I mean, it seems like some kind of cautionary tale… do you think any of it actually happened?"

Xehanort could honestly say he never expected such a reasonable question to come from his fellow apprentice's mouth. "It probably did," he said slowly. "Where else would the Keyblades have come from?"

"Oh… I hadn't thought of that."

"It was interesting, however. I know that much." With those words, Xehanort realized that he had unintentionally taken part in a conversation with Eraqus, and from the way the idiot was smiling, he was sure that Eraqus thought he had won in some way, which Xehanort was not going to let him believe. Xehanort quickly turned away, trying to hide the embarrassment that was coming through. His emotional barriers were being torn down and he didn't like it one bit. He started to walk away.

"I guess it was interesting, but I don't know." Eraqus quickly followed. "I'm sure it will come up again."

Xehanort shrugged in response. Why couldn't Eraqus be chattering about something useless and stupid like normal? It was unusual for him to be talking about something even mildly serious. Eraqus was supposed to be an airheaded idiot; why was he being so deep and logical at the moment. "I'm sure it will."

"Are you okay?" Eraqus asked. "You seem really out of it."

"I'm fine," Xehanort snapped, looking over his shoulder at his friend… Did he really just think of Eraqus as his friend?

"Okay then." Why did Eraqus have to have that knowing frown on his face, an expression that said he knew that Xehanort was hiding something but he wasn't going to push to find out what it was… yet. "You want to go do something? Spar? Play chess?" The customary cheesy grin had returned to Eraqus's face.

Xehanort frowned. "Why do you even bother trying to talk to me?" He was shocked to hear the words coming from his own mouth; he had intended that thought to stay in his head where all of his concerns were kept locked away. He started to walk more quickly, hoping that Eraqus would get the message to act like that hadn't happened. He really couldn't figure out, though, why someone as nice and interesting as Eraqus would ever want anything to do with someone as dull and rude as him.

"Hey, wait up!" Eraqus caught up with him. "I guess if you really want me to leave you alone, I will." The teen frowned. "But I thought that we could be friends; we _are_ training together, you know."

Xehanort reluctantly halted in his tracks. "That's not what I meant," he mumbled.

"Huh?" The dark haired boy tilted his head.

"I didn't mean that I don't want to talk to you…" he turned and looked away from his acquaintance's face. "I just don't understand why you'd want to talk to someone like me. I've been nothing but rude to you; I've done nothing but try to push you away."

"That's not true!" Eraqus argued. Xehanort looked back up and saw a determined gleam in those blue-grey eyes. "Sure, you haven't been friendly, but you haven't yelled at me or anything. And I mean surely you would have told me to buzz off if you were actually as rude as you seem to think you are."

"I guess I don't really mind you following me around," Xehanort reluctantly admitted. "So… sorry I brought it up."

"Hey, it's okay," Eraqus insisted, a smile crossing his face once more, all worry gone. "So do you want to be friends then?"

Xehanort tried to suppress a smile of his own, but it wasn't easy. "Sure," he muttered. He quickly turned and started walking again.

Eraqus followed. "Hey, you never said whether you wanted to do anything!"

…

They had been sparring for hours. Night was beginning to fall, the sky now a dusky shade of violet. The stars overhead shone brightly down on them, reminders of the worlds out there that they had yet to see. "You're getting a lot better at fighting!" Eraqus told him.

Xehanort shrugged. "It's not like we haven't been practicing every day." He tried to act nonchalant, but his mind was reveling in the praise. For some reason it always made him happy to hear Eraqus complement him… it was odd, but he didn't take much time to think about it.

"Well that's true, but still." They started walking back towards the castle. "If anything that makes it better. You've been putting in a lot of hard work, and it's starting to show."

Xehanort felt his heart fluttering. Why was Eraqus so nice? It was making things so difficult. Friendship was bad enough, but Xehanort was not about to admit that he was feeling anything more than that. Yes, that was it. He was just getting over the stupid excitement at having a friend. That was all. "Thanks…" he mumbled, looking down.

"You're welcome," Eraqus replied with a grin. "Well, it's late; see you tomorrow!" the teen waved, smiling broadly before heading down the hall to his room.

Xehanort sighed. Why did things have to be so confusing? He did not leave the Destiny Islands to make friends. He should have kept trying to push the annoyance away… but he just couldn't bring himself to do so.

He walked into his room, looking around the fairly empty space. There was only a simple desk and a small bed with the room; Xehanort knew that no one had expected him to come, so no accommodations were made. To this day, he couldn't figure out why their master had chosen to train him as a Keyblade Wielder. It was all too perfect… All this business of ancient stories and prophesies left him with a lot to think about; was he part of them? Was he of some importance, was that why he was chosen?

Yet through all of those thoughts that he held when he looked out the window into the dark of the night, his mind returned to the fact that he had a friend, the one thing he had intended to avoid at all costs, and it was infuriating that he was happy about it.

Eraqus was certainly an interesting person; he had known that from the beginning, even before the boy started pestering him. But after that, it only became more evident with each interaction they had. He was currently forced to admit that he was enjoying his company; and that hurt his pride more than a little. In the end, it didn't really matter.

In the end, the only thing that mattered was that he was here in the Land of Departure, training to be a Keyblade Master, and even though this was all he had ever wanted, he wanted to leave. Sure, he'd come back, but he wanted to get out there and see things, and the truth of the matter was that it wasn't so much his training that would make him return as his idiot friend with his stupid laugh and annoying way of making him smile.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

0o0o0

"Where could he be?" Eraqus pondered as he continued to search the castle for his friend. It was their day off of training, but usually Xehanort would be in the library, researching something and hiding the books as he did so. Which was actually pretty suspicious, Eraqus supposed, but that wasn't the issue at hand.

Eraqus sighed, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. It was too bad that he couldn't locate his friend…

Well actually, if he was being honest, it was… kind of nice. Days off were rare, and it was a nice change of pace to take a whole day for himself. Xehanort would probably not want to hang out anyway, but he still felt obligated to ask.

He had searched everywhere he knew to look. It was almost like Xehanort wasn't in the Land of Departure at all… but that couldn't be right. Surely the teen would know that he wasn't ready to go to other worlds yet.

Then again, Xehanort had left his home world and whatever life he had there on his own before. What if he had left here too? The very thought had Eraqus's mind reeling.

He wasn't paying much attention to where his feet were taking him, but he wasn't surprised when he came back to reality that he was on the path to the summit.

The green grass and soft blue hues of the shallow pools were a nice contrast to the gray and white stone that surrounded most of their home. Sure, there were a few stray pillars here and there, but for the most part the path was completely left to nature and seemed like no one had ever been there before, regardless of how many times he had climbed his way up and knew otherwise. It felt like something secret, somewhere he always could go when he wanted time alone.

Of course, he never was satisfied to stop at what most would believe to be the top; no, he climbed further up the cliff face to a ledge high above, a place where there was only room for one or two people to sit. Many times he had hidden there and his master had never found him, lecturing him when he returned to try to find out where he had been… Maybe Xehanort had found somewhere like that around their home, somewhere that no one could find him. Hopefully that was the case… hopefully his friend wasn't out in the universe in danger.

Eraqus confidently climbed the cliff; he knew the perfect path to follow to not lose his grip. The first few times he had gone up to his hiding place he had fallen, but he quickly learned how to avoid that.

Pulling himself onto the ledge, he settled in and took in the view. No matter how many times he came here, the scenery from this spot never lost its beauty. He looked down at the ground far below, to the castle glimmering even further in the distance. It was relaxing. Perhaps to someone with a fear of heights it would be terrifying, but all the more reason he had it to himself. It was a wonderful place to read or draw or daydream or even take a nap if he wanted to. It was just a good place to be alone for a change. Solitude was nice in small quantities, and it had been a while. He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out the sketchbook that he had brought today and settling in for a long afternoon of drawing.

A dove landed gracefully beside him, not an uncommon occurrence at all. He was the one in their realm, after all; he took advantage of its closeness to start drawing the snowy white bird. He paid attention to the details in every feather, every line on the body. He wanted to do this creature's beauty justice.

The sun was unpleasantly warm on his back, the summer air heavy and humid. He was sure it would have been more comfortable in the castle, but breaks from training were such a rarity that he _had_ to take advantage of this time to relax and not worry about anything at all… well, he couldn't ignore everything today. He was still worried by the fact he couldn't locate Xehanort.

Eraqus furrowed his brow at his drawing, unable to push his concern away to keep his pencil moving. "It's not like I didn't look _everywhere!_ " he tried to convince himself. "I'm sure he's fine." The bird cooed softly. It seemed to agree.

He heard a noise from below and the feathered creature flew off. Eraqus glanced down to see what he had heard. To his surprise, Xehanort was standing up, apparently having fallen. He looked straight up, glaring until he spotted Eraqus, at which point the unsettling expression turned to embarrassment.

Eraqus frowned, closing his drawing pad; he was annoyed to have been spotted. "Hey!" Xehanort yelled from the ground. "How'd you get up there?"

 _I climbed, obviously,_ he thought irritably. "The way up is over there," he said, gesturing at the path he frequently followed. It wasn't obvious to someone who didn't know where to look, which honestly was the beauty of it… but since he had been discovered anyway, he saw no reason not to let Xehanort join him. There was barely enough room, but it didn't matter.

Xehanort climbed the path, stumbling several times before Eraqus helped pull him up. "This is where you've been hiding on our days off?" he asked, out of breath from the climb.

"Yep," Eraqus replied simply, scooting over to give his friend more room.

Xehanort looked down at the ground below, golden eyes widening. "This is pretty high up," he said shakily.

"What, you don't like heights?"

"I never said that," Xehanort claimed, turning to face Eraqus and trying to ignore the distance to the ground. "I was just pointing it out." Eraqus laughed, resulting in a scowl. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, nothing." He forced himself to stop laughing. "It is really high up here… but it's nice, you know?" He watched the dove return and felt it land on his head.

The silver haired teen stared for a moment before completely losing it in laughter. When he caught his breath, he was still smiling. "Do you usually let birds land on your head?"

"Well, I'm in their space. Most of the time they land next to me, but you're here too, so there's not room." Eraqus held his arm out and the dove moved to it. "Anyway, I guess they're used to me."

"You come up here often?"

"I used to come up pretty much every day. Not so much since you came." He sighed, putting his sketchbook back into his pocket. "We've been training so much that I haven't had a chance to get away." The bird flapped its wings and flew off into the distance.

"There have been plenty of times that we haven't been training that you kept trying to talk to me."

"Well, I didn't want to come here those times," Eraqus explained. Though Xehanort looked skeptical, he didn't say anything.

A moment of comfortable silence passed, only interrupted when Xehanort asked, "What was that notebook that you put into your pocket?"

"Huh?" Eraqus had honestly hoped that the golden-eyed teen hadn't noticed it. "It's a sketchpad," he admitted. "I'm not that good of an artist, but I enjoy drawing."

"Can I see?" Xehanort held out his hand.

Eraqus was hesitant, but he brought it out and turned it to the most recent sketch. His fellow apprentice might not be the friendliest person, but he didn't seem to be a bully in any way shape or form, so it couldn't hurt, right?

"You don't think these drawings are good?" Xehanort puzzled.

"Well… no, I really don't."

He held up the book and pointed at the drawing of the dove. "This looks exactly like that dumb bird that landed on you a while ago. If the rest are like that, then you're a really good artist." He started flipping through the pages, looking at them with growing disbelief.

"You really think those drawings are okay?" Eraqus asked timidly.

"Obviously I do." Xehanort placed the book back in Eraqus's hands. "I wouldn't have said it otherwise. Who told you that you couldn't draw?" he demanded, seeming angry that anyone would ever say such a thing.

"Well, nobody, but—"

"Then why?"

"'Drawing is useless,'" he quoted the phrase he had heard often, the reason he only drew when he came here where no one could find him.

Xehanort scowled towards the castle. "Did the master tell you that?" he asked more quietly.

"He's not the only one," Eraqus acknowledged. "And they're right; it has nothing to do with being a Keyblade Wielder, and that's what I want to do."

Xehanort studied him. "Well, if it's something you like to do, don't let anyone stop you from doing it. Just because something isn't necessarily useful doesn't mean it's not worth doing."

Though puzzled by the sudden compassion, Eraqus nodded. "That's why I come up here, and I have for a long time," he confessed. "Anywhere in the castle and I hear those words all of the time, but until today no one's ever found me here."

Xehanort laughed nervously. "I guess I kind of shoved my way in… sorry."

"No, its fine," Eraqus insisted. He didn't want to admit that he actually _had_ been a bit disappointed to have a guest.

"Well, if it's ever not fine, just tell me to leave you alone," Xehanort offered.

"Okay, I'll remember that," Eraqus said with a grin. "And I'll leave you alone when I'm starting to annoy you, as long as you tell me."

"…I ignored you for three months. You didn't get the message?"

"Well you never actually told me to go away," Eraqus replied lightly.

His silver-haired friend stared blankly at his for a moment before chuckling. "I guess you're right." The words were unspoken, but Eraqus knew that Xehanort hadn't really minded and that now they were truly becoming friends.

After a few long minutes of staring into the distance, Eraqus's mind wandered back to his earlier concerns. "By the way, where were you all morning?" he asked.

Xehanort looked surprised to hear the question, golden eyes shifting like he didn't want to answer. "I was exploring," he said. "I mean, obviously, since I found you up here."

Eraqus nodded in acknowledgement… but he had a feeling that Xehanort's exploration was not limited to the world in which they sat… but he wasn't going to bring it up. As worried as he was, it really wasn't his business at this point, and since he wasn't even sure that Xehanort had left, it would be wrong to accuse him.

But Eraqus's mind bounced to another thought. "Were you looking for me?"

"…No," Xehanort claimed, but from the way he was looking away, it was obvious that he had been. He turned the question around. "Were _you_ looking for _me?_ "

"I was going to see if you wanted to do something; I figured it would be polite," Eraqus answered.

"If you ever want to be alone, don't feel obligated to ask me to hang out with you," Xehanort replied with a stiff nod. "I won't take it as an insult."

Eraqus wondered, then, why Xehanort had wanted to find him; but like everything else, he wasn't going to ask. He'd humor him and act like he believed that he hadn't.

Xehanort scowled at the sinking sun. "It's getting late."

"I've stayed up here all night before," Eraqus replied.

"You don't worry you're going to fall?" Xehanort asked, bewildered.

Eraqus snorted. "Not really…"

The other teen glanced at the ground warily. "Is there a secret to getting down from here safely?"

Eraqus shrugged. "I'll show you how to get down…"

"…Okay." Xehanort was reluctant to admit that he needed help; that much was obvious.

After Eraqus made sure he got safely to the ground, he started to climb back up. "See you later!" he said with a smile, letting go with one arm to wave.

"Yeah." Xehanort was trying not to smile, but it honestly looked goofier than a grin would have. He turned and rushed off.

Eraqus climbed the cliff face once more, settling in on the ledge, pulling out his sketchpad and beginning to sketch the castle below. The sun was sinking below the horizon, but he wasn't going home yet.

It was nice to be friends with Xehanort… but it was still nice to have some time alone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

0o0o0

Xehanort was a bit worried; Eraqus had seemed so off the other day. Surely nothing was wrong or else he would have said something… right?

Oh, but why did he care? The grey eyed boy was annoying, even if they were friends now. It wasn't any of his business, and everyone needs time alone on occasion, so it really shouldn't seem so strange in the first place. Xehanort left all of the time, but it had made him uncomfortable when he noticed that Eraqus wasn't somewhere that he could be found right away. That was why he was so frantic to find him.

At least things seemed back to normal now. Or at least, as normal as they could be. Xehanort certainly wasn't the kind of person to keep things normal, and he had a feeling that Eraqus had noticed when he had left their world recently… he knew it was dangerous, but he couldn't make himself stop. He needed to get out there. He needed to explore and gain knowledge, and the more he learned on his own, the more he understood the lessons that their master was teaching them.

He returned to his usual landing point at the summit, intending to sneak off somewhere to regain his bearings before he returned to face Eraqus and their master. He slowly looked around the green expanse before staring at the castle over the horizon where he was sure they both waited.

He jumped when he heard a sudden voice from behind. "Why did you leave?"

Xehanort looked up at Eraqus as his friend approached him. He must have been waiting. "Uh…" He looked away guiltily; the frown on his friend's face was unsettling. It was well past dusk, the stars high above their heads… He must have waited for a long time.

"The master told me to ask you," Eraqus explained, stopping a few feet away. "But I know that you've wanted to leave for a while. I wasn't surprised."

Xehanort looked up. "You… You weren't?" Was the idiot really that observant?

"I figure it's probably for the same reason you left your home and ended up here; I don't know what that reason is, but you don't like staying in one place." Eraqus frowned. "Listen, I'm supposed to try to convince you not to leave again, but I'm not going to. You're unhappy if you stay here all of the time. I didn't tell the master that you had left before, and I have no intention to do so if it happens again."

"…thanks." Xehanort had to look away from his friend; he was being way too understanding.

"Just be careful if you leave again, okay?" Eraqus requested. "I don't want you to get hurt out there." His voice was concerned, but it wasn't pushy. "And when the master asks if I talked to you, can you tell him that I told you to stop leaving?"

"Of course," Xehanort said, feeling a smile sneaking onto his face. He just couldn't help it.

"But you know; I don't understand why you're in such a rush to get away." Eraqus shrugged.

"I left my home world because it was too small; I felt trapped." Xehanort was surprised to hear the words coming from his own mouth. He paused as he looked up and saw the shock on Eraqus's face; he hadn't been expecting an answer either. "I needed to get out of there, and even now, I feel secluded. I need to travel. I want to see as many worlds as possible."

"You know that the master's going to send us out someday, right?"

"I can't wait that long."

"Why not?" Eraqus wondered.

Xehanort honestly couldn't explain it, even to himself. "I just can't."

Eraqus studied him. "Please; be careful when you leave again? It's dangerous out there. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Xehanort's heart began to beat erratically. Eraqus cared that much? Eraqus wanted him to stay safe? "I-I will," he managed to stutter out as a promise, leaving Eraqus with an adorably puzzled expression as to why he would be so overwhelmed, which honestly only made it more difficult to regain his composure.

"Are you okay?" Eraqus asked, tilting his head.

"I'm fine," he snapped. Eraqus chuckled. "What are you laughing at?" Xehanort demanded.

"Nothing."

Xehanort glared for a moment before looking away. "I'm tired; I'm going to go get some rest."

"Oh, okay." Eraqus seemed disappointed. "I'll need to catch you up on what happened while you were gone, but it can wait."

Xehanort didn't bother replying, heading towards the castle.

He was furious with himself. Why was he falling for that idiot? There was really no way that he could deny it anymore.

He reached his room, falling face first onto the bed as usual, and as he did so often, he muttered, "Stupid Eraqus," but his mind was telling him otherwise.

For example, the images of that wonderful smile and those sparkling eyes were repeating in his mind, the words of worry in his voice ringing in his ears… imagining what it would be like if Eraqus truly did care about his existence. Xehanort was ready to admit that he and Eraqus were friends, but even that thought wasn't truly clicking. These other emotions that he wanted to ignore were making things that much harder. Shouldn't he just be happy to have the idiot as a friend? He knew that he should. But instead of 'stupid Eraqus,' all he could think was 'lovely, wonderful Eraqus, the one who thinks I actually matter;' and not just in the grand scheme of things like their master did. He knew that Eraqus truly did care about him as a person.

It was just infuriating that he was ninety percent sure that his care was one hundred percent platonic.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

0o0o0

Eraqus sighed in frustration. Xehanort had left _again_ and the master was taking it out on him, saying that he should top Xehanort. It was all that Eraqus could do to maintain self-control and respect and _not_ scream back. It's not like he controlled Xehanort! They were friends; it wasn't like Eraqus was his boss. All he could do was make suggestions! But their stubborn master kept insisting that Eraqus could be doing something more.

…And maybe he could do a bit more, but he wasn't going to jeopardize his friendship with his fellow apprentice to tell him to do something when he would likely ignore it anyway. Eraqus shook his head, walking down the grassy trail towards the summit where he would probably stay all night to get away. He was just so _annoyed_ that Xehanort's indiscretions were resulting in Eraqus being treated like he had been the one to do something wrong, especially since he knew that Xehanort received far less lecturing.

At least Eraqus though he knew why. It was no secret that their master was grooming him to be his successor, to take over the Land of Departure and train his own apprentices. That's why he was being told that he should be a leader, that he should try to influence someone in a positive way. But the truth was he didn't think that, at least at this point, Xehanort was doing anything wrong in the first place, and he was doing his best to keep an eye out for signs that that might have changed.

When he reached the Cliffside and had climbed to his usual seat, he stared out towards the setting sun. It was so strange how in some ways the fading light was beautiful, the shades of blue fading to violet, the oranges of the setting sun disappearing. Without the darkness he would never have a chance to see the stars. The master was always insisting that darkness was the enemy and that they had to stop it at all costs… but maybe a little bit of darkness was okay. Just a little, though. Nothing extreme. Even if the darkness did not necessarily equate evil, it was dangerous and needed to be controlled. Maybe one day he would understand what the master meant… maybe it wasn't to be taken so literally.

Pulling out his sketchpad, he began drawing something completely different than his usual drawings of things that he had seen before. No, the images that he was putting onto paper were unusual things, creatures that he had never heard or seen the likes of before… likely just side-effects of a racing mind. The shadowy creatures seeped darkness with every line.

Soon he found them too unsettling and tore the pages out of his sketchbook, compelled to remove them from existence in a burst of flame. If those were indeed real creatures, they were not something that he intended to have anything to do with. But perhaps he should do some research… just in case they were something to be worried about. He would have to do it on his own; he certainly wasn't about to tell the master that he had been drawing again. Maybe the master was right about that too; maybe allowing himself to draw was dangerous.

No, he couldn't let himself think that. Art was one of the few things he actually enjoyed to do. He wasn't about to let that be taken away by paranoia. He just needed to get his mind off of those strange drawings and on to something more productive. Soon he was once again lost in drawing, his pencil sliding across the page in his usual sketches of buildings and birds.

He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice when Xehanort climbed up and sat beside him. "Hey," Xehanort said after a few minutes of waiting.

Eraqus jumped at the sudden voice, looking over quickly with wide eyes and a racing heart. "Oh, h-hey. When did you get up here?"

The silver haired teen rolled his eyes. "About five minutes. What's got you so focused?"

"Just drawing." Eraqus's heart was slowing to a normal rhythm. He studied his friend. "What've you been up to?"

"Traveling again." Xehanort stared out into the starry night. "I just can't stay here."

"What's so bad about it?" Eraqus asked. "Are things that much better out there?"

Xehanort looked at him with a tilt of his head. "There just isn't much holding me here," he stated. His eyes softened as he stared at Eraqus. "There's so much out there to learn."

Eraqus shrugged, trying to ignore the odd look in his friend's golden eyes. "Like what?" he asked after a moment.

Xehanort paused, staring back across the horizon. "There's so much more out there. I don't even know where to begin." He sighed. "The master doesn't teach us much about darkness. I'm finding out so much more by traveling."

"IS that what you're so interested in? Darkness?" Eraqus put his sketchbook away, trying to forget the strange drawings he produced earlier. "What's so special about darkness?"

Xehanort paused. "Darkness and light are supposed to be in balance, right?"

"Well yeah…"

"Then we need to know as much as we can about both." When Xehanort looked at him, it seemed like he was seeking approval.

Eraqus took a moment to think over what he was about to say. "I don't know… I mean, to an extent," he looked directly into his friend's eyes. "But darkness can be dangerous; you can't let yourself get drawn in."

"I'm not!" Xehanort insisted. He looked insulted by the very notion. "I'm not going to let the darkness control me."

"Good. As long as you're careful, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't find out what you can." Eraqus shrugged.

Xehanort slowly nodded, seeming satisfied with the response. He yawned. "I'm heading back to the castle. See you tomorrow."

"Okay. See you later."

As he watched Xehanort climb down (and he was getting far braver when it came to jumping down from the cliff) Eraqus couldn't help but worry. What if Xehanort wasn't being careful enough? What if he were to get drawn into the darkness after all? Should he be doing more to stop this? Should he… should he try to stop Xehanort from leaving again, from seeking answers about the darkness? Was it worth risking the friendship they were developing and possibly be ignored anyway?

Eraqus decided that he didn't have to make those decisions that night, settling in on his comfortable seat and falling into a worried sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

((Author's note: From this point forward things may start to contradict the canon plot of the Kingdom Hearts series.))

Chapter 6

0o0o0

Xehanort had seen the future and he didn't like what he saw.

Sure, it could have been a nightmare, but it seemed extremely far-fetched. Darkness overtaking the worlds, Kingdom Hearts being released, a new Keyblade War; all at his hands. The worst part was that he wanted to see what happened after the dream ended.

But the thing was, if it was the future, he couldn't change it, could he? He… he didn't want that to happen. Sure, he was learning more and more about the darkness and he no longer feared what he found there, but it wasn't something he should want to happen, right? It was dangerous; people could get hurt, and while he didn't really care so much about what happened to the majority of people, he didn't want anything to happen to Eraqus.

What had happened that made that future come to be, and could he find a way to change it?

…

Xehanort couldn't keep his attention on the game of chess that sat between them. Because of this, Eraqus was easily winning.

He seemed to notice. "What's wrong, Xehanort?"

"Nothing," Xehanort insisted, looking up; but when their eyes met, he knew that Eraqus wasn't going to drop it easily. The problems that had been plaguing his mind for weeks now, the things he had learned about the darkness… he knew he couldn't hide how stressed he had become. "Have you heard of the ancient Keyblade War?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah," Eraqus acknowledged. "The master's favorite story."

Xehanort returned his gaze to the game, any excuse to avoid his friend's eyes. "So, you know the lost masters. They're the ones that started the Keyblade War."

Eraqus paused in moving his chess piece. "…Never hear of them," he claimed.

Xehanort rolled his eyes. "You can drop the façade." He knew that his fellow apprentice was uncomfortable speaking of such things, too filled with fear in his heart by the master's insistence on painting darkness as pure evil.

"Fine," Eraqus admitted. "But what about them?"

Xehanort froze; he hadn't really been prepared to explain. "According to legend," he began, "the world was full of light before the lost masters wanted the power of Kingdom Hearts and the χ-blade to themselves. Their greed introduced darkness into the world." He tried to focus on the game as he spoke… he noticed that Eraqus was becoming distracted as well. "The land that held Kingdom Hearts was protected by the χ-blade. Our Keyblades were made in its image in hopes of overcoming it."

Eraqus glanced up briefly. "You've been doing more research?" The concern was evident in his tone.

Xehanort nodded. "In the end, darkness covered the world and the χ-blade was shattered into seven pieces of light and thirteen of pure darkness. The world was only brought back by the hearts of children… but even now they are separate."

"So…" Eraqus paused. "What's your point?"

"Don't you think that someday the worlds must become one again?" Xehanort asked. "But I have learned something in my travels; darkness and light must be in balance to bring it to be."

"I don't know… that sounds weird." Eraqus shook his head. "Since the world was once all light, when the worlds were connected, why would the darkness need to return?"

Xehanort wasn't sure how to respond. He shook his head. He wished that he could see things in such a simple matter. "It's prophesized. We can't change it." He sighed before quoting, "'On that land shall darkness prevail and light expire.' The future; it's already been written."

Eraqus raised his head and stared blankly for a minute. "Who's to say I can't change it? And maybe light will prevail." Xehanort met his eyes, seeing that he believed the words he spoke. "There's more to light that meets the eye. You might be surprised."

Those words were the ones that Xehanort had hoped to hear, and it made his heart skip a beat in happiness. He didn't want to believe all that he had learned; he didn't want to believe those stupid nightmares that he kept having, telling him that he would be the cause of this evil. The words were a glimmer of hope from a future that Xehanort had believed unescapable. "Oh I hope so," he said before staring at the chess board.

Eraqus's eyes were fixed on the board as well. Sometimes, Xehanort wished that he could read his friend's mind and see what wonderful thoughts were going around in there… he wished that he could make sure that Eraqus truly believed that things could change… but he couldn't.

They both searched for further moves, but there were none to be played. Was this how things were supposed to be? Timing seemed odd, for it was like the light and darkness of which they spoke were in a draw… Xehanort didn't want to see that. Darkness or light, one had to win… right?

He shoved the board off of the table in fury, making Eraqus jump up from his seat.

"Xehanort?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to play anymore." He stood up, taking in a deep breath before looking at his increasingly worried friend. When he saw those grey eyes, all anger disappeared, and he instead felt that lovely fluttering feeling that he had every time he interacted with Eraqus lately. "Sorry," he muttered.

"It's fine," Eraqus said, beginning to pick up the chess pieces. Xehanort crouched down to help. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked again.

"I'm fine," he lied.

Their hands touched briefly as they reached for the same piece. Xehanort quickly retracted his, blushing lightly. Eraqus's hands were always so soft…

The last of the game pieces were placed back where they belonged. Eraqus stood up and stretched. Their eyes met, Xehanort getting lost in the kindness of Eraqus's blue-grey gaze, mesmerized as always…

But he could tell he let the stare linger a bit too long when Eraqus didn't look away first and his expression became puzzled. "A-anyway," Xehanort stuttered, rushing towards the door. "I'll see you around."

"Okay?" The confusion rang out into the air in every note of Eraqus's voice.

Xehanort continued walking, turning down the long hallway. Stupid Eraqus. The idiot could tell that something was off, but he'd never figure out what it was, and Xehanort wasn't sure he wanted him to realize it anyway. He was _still_ falling for the idiot and it only seemed to get worse with every kind and helpful thing that he said.

Stupid Eraqus with his stupid kindness and his infuriatingly beautiful eyes full of light… It was too much.

Xehanort was paying so little attention to his surroundings that he collided with a pillar that he passed every day. " _Great,_ " he growled, walking around and disappearing into his room. He had to get over this… these pointless emotions were messing with his mind. He was trying to learn more and more about the darkness but his thoughts always came back to Eraqus.

Eraqus was the only thing that kept him coming home and it was frustrating to admit that he really did love the idiot more than anything else to make that true.

0o0o0

Eraqus stared at the empty doorway, not sure what to make of the events that had just come to pass. Why was Xehanort acting so weird lately? It could just be stress over the Keyblade War or whatever, but throwing a game of chess off of the table with no explanation was a bit extreme. Eraqus couldn't help but be concerned about his friend's fascination with the darkness.

But there was another facet of weirdness that didn't seem connected that was bugging him just as much.

Xehanort had pulled his hand back so quickly when their hands had accidentally touched earlier. Then Xehanort had stared into his eyes for a good minute and a half without a word before stuttering and retreating with a faint blush on his cheeks. That was a sign of embarrassment, right? And this wasn't the first time. It was happening a lot lately.

It was almost like Xehanort had a crush on him, and Eraqus couldn't figure out for the life of him why that would be. Surely he was just misinterpreting. He wasn't even sure why the thought had passed through his head, so he tried to dismiss it.

"I mean, I don't like him that way," Eraqus mused, turning to stare out the window. "I don't think so anyway."

How did one tell if they were attracted to someone? He was sure it wasn't entirely defined by the stereotypical things. If it was, then he would be sure to the negative. He didn't get the whole 'butterflies in your stomach' sensation anytime he saw Xehanort, nor did he get chills when he heard his voice or anything weird like that. It did make him happy to be around him, but that was just a normal friend thing. No, the point of the matter was that he didn't feel the same… but could he one day?

It wasn't like he had ever given it any thought. It hadn't even crossed his mind until earlier that it was possible that Xehanort could possibly be feeling anything like that, and to be honest, Eraqus never imagined that anyone at all would look at him in that manner. He was quite boring, after all, and overly happy. And besides, he had little chance to interact with anyone due to his training. It only made sense that nothing would ever occur on the romantic side of life, let alone with Xehanort.

It would probably be best to let it pass without another thought. He was probably wrong anyway.

"I am worried, though," he muttered; his friend's sudden obsession with the darkness and prophesies… it was dangerous. It didn't matter what they were to each other, he didn't want anything to happen to Xehanort. He would do everything in his power to stop him from being harmed in any way.

He needed to find out what was wrong… but he had no idea where to start.

((Author's note: I did so much research but I'm still sure I have things wrong so forgive me))


	7. Chapter 7

_Always remember: things can change in a fraction of a second. One action, one word can rewrite history._

Chapter 7

0o0o0

"Dammit," Xehanort growled as he prepared to land in the Land of Departure. For the first time in his travels he had ended up injured beyond a few scrapes; it was nothing serious, but the gash on his arm was painful and it hurt his pride to have not been quick enough. All he could hope for was that for once Eraqus wouldn't be waiting for him on the summit when he returned, and he didn't see him like this and get that infuriatingly adorable worried look.

When he arrived on solid ground and scanned his surroundings, he thought that his hopes had been answered. Of course, he couldn't have that much luck; he should have known that Eraqus would be waiting up on their cliff out of sight.

Xehanort heard him jump down and rush over, having not overlooked the injury that he was trying so hard to conceal. "What happened?" Eraqus worried, rushing over.

"Nothing," Xehanort insisted, refusing to meet his friend's eyes.

"I thought you were being careful out there." He put a hand over his arm and cast a spell to shrink the wound further; he had always been better with healing magic.

Xehanort reluctantly turned his head to look at his friend, grimacing at the concern in his blue-grey eyes. "I was," he muttered. "The thing snuck up on me."

"The thing? " Eraqus asked. "What attacked you?"

"It was nothing," Xehanort insisted again, remembering the strange, shadowy creature known as a 'heartless'. "Please just drop it."

Eraqus frowned. "I'm just worried," he muttered. He stepped back. "Please just be more careful; and you should stay here for a few days, just to make sure that cut heals properly. Magic can only do so much, you know."

Xehanort hated to see his friend's usual smile turned into a frown. Whenever it happened, he just wanted to figure out some way to make it go away… And this time, his mind wasn't one hundred percent there, because he suddenly was hugging Eraqus tightly, perhaps a bit _too_ close, burying his head in his neck. It was a really nice feeling, particularly when Eraqus awkwardly wrapped his arms around him in return.

But the moment that it registered what was happening, Xehanort let go and quickly jumped back, seeing a that Eraqus's face had turned red… _He knew._ "Oh, I um… s-sorry," he stuttered out before turning and trying to run off. Had that stupid creature placed some kind of spell messing with his emotions, or was it just his own stupid brain?

"Wait!" Eraqus called from behind, quickly catching up and grabbing his hand to stop him. Xehanort reluctantly looked back; Eraqus seemed quite bewildered, frozen in shock for a moment before he finally spoke. "It's no big deal; it's not like you aren't allowed to hug me."

 _It-it's no big deal?_ Xehanort's heart raced even faster. _He didn't mind?_

Apparently Xehanort's emotions were still jumbled because he heard words coming from his mouth before he could stop them. "I love you." He quickly put his hand over his mouth, cursing himself internally, his face burning.

Eraqus stared with wide eyes, trying to puzzle out what was going on and whether he had heard correctly. His cheeks turned pink. "Um… t-thank you?" he stammered before turning and rushing off towards their usual place on the cliff.

Though his heart fell in his chest, Xehanort didn't skip a beat. "Wait, I'm sorry!" he called as he quickly followed; what had he expected? Of course that's how it would go. "I'm sorry!"

If this was what heartbreak felt like, he never wanted to feel it again.

Eraqus slowed down and turned to face him. "No, I'm sorry that I don't feel the same way," he said. His cheeks were still bright red and he seemed to be thinking. "But that doesn't mean I never will," he finally managed to say.

That was not at all what Xehanort had expected to hear; it wasn't perfect, but nevertheless it made his heart soar. His panicked mood quickly rose to an incredible level of happiness. Sure, it was a vague hope for a chance that might not even come, but _there was a chance._ "R-really?

0o0o0

Eraqus still wasn't sure what had just happened, but he hadn't lied. He shrugged, his heart up in his throat with mixed emotions. He had been wondering if Xehanort was attracted to him, but he had _never_ expected to hear that he was in love with him. He hadn't really entertained the thought at all; he had been so sure he was misinterpreting their interactions entirely. He had believed that there was nothing there, and because of this, he hadn't taken time to consider the possibilities.

He didn't want things to stay this awkward though. This all was… actually kind of funny, when he thought about it. He found himself laughing. Xehanort frowned and raised an eyebrow, his golden eyes falling. "No, I'm not laughing at you," Eraqus insisted before laughing more.

"Then why are you laughing?" Xehanort demanded.

"This whole situation!" Eraqus explained. "I mean, what are the chances? I don't think you meant to tell me that, it just slipped out…" Eraqus stifled further laughter. "And I'm over here not knowing what to do. You've got to see the comedy to this."

Xehanort seemed skeptical, but he appeared to be considering, and when he started to laugh it only made Eraqus laugh more. "You're right," Xehanort managed to say.

Suddenly, things didn't feel so awkward anymore. With simple laughter, it was like everything instantly returned to normal. Looking at it from a different mind frame, it seemed much less earth-shattering.

Nothing had to be awkward. They were still friends. This didn't have to change anything… but maybe someday things could change everything for the better.

((Author's note: There it is. Finally… and I guess I'm just not nice for not making it perfect for them yet, but you know, things rarely are.))


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

0o0o0

After training ended for the day, their master told Xehanort to leave, but requested that Eraqus stay… Worried, and perhaps simply nosy, Xehanort waited outside of the main hall and attempted to listen to the conversation that was taking place.

"Yes, Master?" Eraqus asked.

"Xehanort left again." It wasn't a question; it was a statement of a fact. "Why have you not been doing more to prevent it?"

The silence was deafening.

"It is not my place to try to control him," Eraqus finally said. "I have done my best to warn him of the dangers."

"I fear that his is falling into the darkness," their master explained. "And I fear that you are doing the same."

"What makes you say that!?" Eraqus wasn't able to hide how insulted he was.

"You are becoming far more distant by the day. Both of you. He leaves and you don't report to me." The master's voice was far angrier than concerned. "Neither of you have been focusing on your training anymore. Are you forgetting you are to be a Keyblade Master?"

"Of course I'm not forgetting that!" Eraqus argued.

"You're arguing; do you question my judgment?" The master did not sound worried with the words; it was almost as though looking for a negative response.

"No," Eraqus replied more quietly. "I'm not."

"Then why do you disobey me and not prevent Xehanort from leaving?"

"Have you not said that friendships are a good way to become closer to the light?" Eraqus asked slowly.

Their master laughed; it was mocking rather than amused. "Friendship? That's why you haven't stopped him?" the man's laugh darkened. "Some friend you are…"

The tone of their master's voice made Xehanort's blood run cold. He took that as his cue to leave before he was caught, or worse, before he ran in there in an attempt to defend Eraqus. He couldn't fight his battles.

But was Eraqus taking that kind of abuse whenever Xehanort left? How could he deal with such disrespect and proceed through life with a smile, never showing any kind of anger towards Xehanort, who was the cause of it? Eraqus was such a lovely, amazingly kind person; he did not deserve such treatment.

Regardless of these thoughts, Xehanort could only go to the Cliffside and wait, hoping that his dear friend would come when he could…

Maybe this was why Eraqus didn't love him back. Maybe he was angry with him for leaving and causing the undeserved punishment. Why would someone even do that?

Xehanort had yet to hear any real lecture from their master; a brief 'don't leave again' followed by some kind of warning about the darkness was all he had ever had to endure.

He didn't have much time to consider it, though. Before he had time to think, Eraqus climbed up beside him, a smile painted on his face that he was sure wasn't sincere. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hey." Xehanort glared moodily towards the castle.

A long pause passed. "You were listening, weren't you?" Eraqus asked.

Xehanort should have known by now that Eraqus wasn't as dense as he seemed. "…Yes," he admitted, turning his head and seeing a frown. "Why do you put up with him talking to you like that?"

"He's my master; I don't have a choice."

"That sounds a bit like slavery, rather than apprenticeship." Eraqus's expression fell, but he shrugged and looked away, obviously trying to hide that he was upset and that he perhaps agreed. "Why does he treat you like that?"

"He wants me to take over the Land of Departure once I become a master; so he can retire."

Xehanort hadn't really expected an answer, let alone that one. "So? That doesn't give him a right to treat you like that."

Eraqus sighed. "I'm supposed to be a good leader. He seems to think that trying to stop you from leaving would be a good example of that." He gradually looked back over. "But I know that you wouldn't stay even if I told you to… _especially_ if I told you to; you feel the need to travel. I'd rather be friends and not set a good example than to have you resent me."

Xehanort stared into his blue-grey eyes. He wanted to tell him that he could _never_ resent him, no matter what he did. He looked so… he just looked so tired. "Does he do this every time I leave?"

Eraqus flinched, but reluctantly nodded. "As long as he knows that you have been gone, it never fails."

"You should stand up for yourself!" Xehanort proclaimed; but once the words were out, he realized that it wasn't that easy.

Eraqus looked away. "I can't. He's our master; we have to respect him."

"That's not how it has to work, not when he's treating you like that," Xehanort disagreed. But he knew that Eraqus tended to look at the world through a lens of their master being right in every way. That only what he would teach should be learned. For some reason, that was just how Eraqus's mind functioned.

"It's the only way it can work," Eraqus argued stubbornly. "Besides; he raised me. Even beyond as a master, I have to respect him as a father."

"He certainly doesn't sound like a good father," Xehanort stated.

"He used to be," Eraqus explained. "I was an orphan, and he took me in as a child with the intention of training me. He used to be really nice." He trailed off. "But when I was old enough to begin my training, he became far stricter. I wasn't his son anymore; I was his apprentice, and now I'm treated as such."

"He still should respect you; even if you weren't close to him before, you still deserve respect." Xehanort maintained.

"…Maybe," Eraqus admitted. "You're probably right."

Xehanort smiled, glad that his words were actually affecting Eraqus. "I'll stick around longer this time," he promised. "I know I'll have to leave again, but…" That was all he knew to do; that was the only way he knew to help.

Eraqus shook his head. "I don't want you to make promises that you don't want to keep." He turned to face him, meeting his eyes. "Yes, I would be happy if you didn't leave so much; I worry about you. But I don't want you to stay here to prevent me from a little bit of reprimanding."

Xehanort frowned before putting an arm around Eraqus's shoulder to pull him closer so that he was leaning on him. "What if I just want to spend more time with you? Then is it okay?"

The question was rhetorical, but regardless of that he saw a faint blush appearing on Eraqus's face. "Of course," he managed to mumble.

Xehanort couldn't help but smile. It had been unbelievably frustrating that even after Xehanort's accidental confession, Eraqus seemed oblivious to every attempt to get his attention. But he wasn't ready to give up, and maybe that little bit of a blush was proof that he was getting noticed for once. He had every intention of doing everything he could to make Eraqus love him back; he wouldn't give up until it happened. If that was greedy, then he supposed he must be a greedy person; but he didn't care what kind of person he was.

He just wanted Eraqus to be his, and it was without a question worth fighting the desire to explore the universe for. "Visiting other worlds can wait," he purred, amused when Eraqus shivered from his tone. "Some things are more important."

"Well I certainly don't _want_ you to leave," Eraqus agreed, seeming to be becoming quite comfortable with the way they were sitting, leaning his head against Xehanort's chest.

Xehanort was sure that Eraqus would be able to hear his heart fluttering at the words and the closeness. He knew that he was trying to work through all of the emotions and figure things out (and it was taking an annoying amount of time), but this kind of moment made Xehanort feel like there was still a chance. If this was a game, Eraqus would be a prize worth fighting for. Even though it wasn't, he was _not_ going to let him get away if there was any way around it.

This feeling that surrounded them; this contentment; he never wanted it to end.

((Author's note: Their master is a jerk, but there is a reasoning behind his actions))


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

0o0o0

What had their master meant when he told him that he 'feared they were falling into the darkness'… those words were nothing without explanation, and when Eraqus had tried to ask, his inquiries were ignored, and when he tried to explain what he had meant when he said that he hoped friendship would draw Xehanort away from the darkness, he was laughed at. It was so frustrating: being told that the darkness was dangerous but never told why; being told that they were falling into the darkness but never told how or how to stop it… it was so annoying! How was he supposed to learn anything if his teacher wasn't even willing to teach?

Maybe that was why Xehanort had once left so often… but so far he had kept to his word to stay for a while. Instead, he kept very close, _extremely_ close, rarely leaving Eraqus's side for more than a few minutes at a time. Eraqus didn't exactly _mind_ , and he thought he understood why Xehanort was doing it. Xehanort, the silver haired teen that had once wanted nothing to do with, now had every intention of becoming as close as possible. He wanted to win Eraqus's heart, and Eraqus couldn't say he minded.

He was starting to see the other teen in a different way, and while it was strange at first, he decided it wasn't a bad thing. Before he had never even considered that Xehanort was attractive or emotionally appealing, and the more he thought about it, the more he was becoming; his golden eyes were hypnotizing, his slightly brash attitude was charming. In the end all he could do was wonder why Xehanort loved him and how he was (thankfully) more important to him than traveling the worlds and learning about the darkness, at least for now.

But what was it about the darkness? Their master wasn't teaching them anything useful; was it really as dangerous as it seemed?

As they sat next to each other on their cliff, staring off into the setting sun, it seemed like as good of a time as any to see what Xehanort had discovered.

"Hey Xehanort," Eraqus said, breaking the silence. Xehanort looked over curiously. "What were you learning out here when you were traveling so much; I mean, about the darkness?"

"Nothing important," he claimed; but Eraqus saw through, giving him a knowing look. "It's better that you stay out of it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Eraqus asked, leaning a bit forward; he was a little offended, but more than that, he was concerned.

"There's so much darkness out there, and while I don't think the darkness is something we should fear, it's better off if you don't get involved with it." Xehanort frowned when he saw that Eraqus wasn't giving up just yet. "Don't worry about it; it'll be safer if you don't try to find out… you still have a chance."

"Xehanort…?" Eraqus wasn't sure what he had meant, but he was sure it was not a positive thing. "Are you saying that you don't think you have a chance?"

"That's not what I said." But the sadness in his golden eyes betrayed him. He looked away.

"Is this about the prophesy you spoke of?" Eraqus asked. Xehanort flinched. "Things can change you know. I promise you that there is always a chance of things ending up better."

Xehanort shrugged. But as he glanced back over, a mischievous look appeared and a smirk crossed his face. He grabbed Eraqus's hand and placed a quick kiss onto his knuckles… Eraqus knew he was trying to distract him, and regrettably, it was working, particularly when he leaned over and pressed a quick kiss on his cheek.

"I'd rather not think about that stupid prophesy," Xehanort said. "It's not like I'm going to sit back and let it happen."

"Good, but I still want to know more about the dark—" Eraqus had no time to process why Xehanort put a hand on his cheek and leaned forward until he pressed a quick peck on his lips to effectively shut him up. It was a strange feeling, but it certainly wasn't a bad thing. He was sure that it was far shorter than it felt, since there was no time to try to observe and enjoy it.

Eraqus was left frozen in shock, his face burning… it wasn't that he minded, but he had to wonder why Xehanort didn't seem at all flustered by it.

"Please don't worry so much about the darkness," Xehanort insisted. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"W-well if it's so dangerous, won't you get hurt?" Eraqus managed to say. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Xehanort looked away; it was obvious that he wasn't going to reply. That gave Eraqus time to think. He _didn't_ want anything to happen to Xehanort. The very thought of the golden eyed teen being hurt, or worse, _gone,_ made his blood run cold.

If the future looked bleak, he wanted to change it so that Xehanort would be happy. He just wanted Xehanort to be happy because… it made sense now… "I love you," he told Xehanort, his cheeks burning and his heart in his throat. He knew that the words were true, but it was strange to come to the realization and say them.

Xehanort quickly turned to look at him, started by the sudden confession. "Really? You do?"

Eraqus nodded. "Yes," he said with more confidence. "I love you."

The smile on Xehanort's face shone like a thousand suns. "That means that I can say I love you again, doesn't it? Because I love you a lot."

Eraqus was pulled into a tight hug before Xehanort immediately grabbed his face and pulled him in for a far more passionate kiss than the earlier one, and while both actions were startling, they were definitely nothing to complain about, and Eraqus didn't let this kiss slip by without returning it.

Being as it was his first _real_ kiss, he wasn't entirely sure what to do, but he closed his eyes to enjoy it. Where should he put his hands? What was he supposed to do in general? He settled on placing his hands on Xehanort's back, and it seemed like his senses were stronger than normal; he noticed the softness and warmth of Xehanort's lips, but also how much force was behind them. All sounds seemed to disappear behind the pounding of his heart and everything felt right in the world.

And just like that, it ended, leaving Eraqus red faced and Xehanort with a smirk, both of them breathing heavily and staring into each other's eyes.

0o0o0

One thought kept repeating in Xehanort's mind as he started into Eraqus's sparkling blue-grey eyes: that Eraqus loved him now.

Eraqus loved him back; Xehanort had hoped it would happen one day, but his hope had been fading as more time passed. But now here they were; Eraqus loved him in return, and now he could truly be his. Now they could be together.

"I love you," Xehanort repeated.

"And I love you," Eraqus promised, leaning his head against his shoulder.

Those words, those actions changed everything; Xehanort had been sure that his fate couldn't be changed, that he would have to leave and face it. Now, maybe Xehanort would have enough reason to stay, maybe he would have enough reason to start fighting the darkness and turn to the light.

It was time for a new chapter to begin; maybe fate could be changed, or maybe it was too much to hope for. But for the time being Xehanort was sure that he wasn't go to let this perfection go away.

The sun set below the horizon and darkness and light were together in the starry night sky.

((Author's note: Yay, happy ending! I had more written, but I'd rather leave it here, at this happy moment in time. Thank you for reading!))


	10. Chapter 10

((Author's note: OH MY FRIGGING GOD I FOUND ONE I FORGOT ABOUT!))

Chapter 10

Another day of lessons, another time that the master held Eraqus back after sending Xehanort away. "What's wrong, Master?" he asked.

"Eraqus, I have some concerns about Xehanort."

"Hmm? What about? He hasn't even gone away lately."

"You need to stop interacting with him so often. He is falling into the darkness. I don't want you to follow," the master explained.

"What? I'm not going to stop talking to Xehanort!" Eraqus argued.

"No!" Eraqus countered; the master froze, surprised, but not appearing angry. "If you're so worried about Xehanort falling into the darkness, why don't you want me to try to prevent it?" He frowned. "Being his friend; that's the best I can do."

The master smiled. "You finally stood up for what you believed in, even when I was against you; I was afraid you would never pass that test."

"Huh?"

"But you still need to distance yourself," the master continued. "It is too late for Xehanort. I don't want you to fall with him."

"It's too late? What are you talking about?"

"It has been prophesized that Xehanort will embrace the darkness; the pieces are already falling into place. It would be difficult to stop things now."

"That doesn't mean it's impossible," Eraqus argued.

"Eraqus, you know that you are not just my apprentice; you are like a son to me," the master said quietly. "I have made some poor decisions of the late; I had hoped you would be able to pull Xehanort back onto the path of the light; you are so empowered by the light, it would only make sense. But I put you dangerously close to the darkness. I shouldn't have used you. For that I am sorry." The master shook his head. "You must get away while you can."

"But master…" Eraqus looked down before looking back up, determined to convince his father figure of something important. "I can still help Xehanort; he's not too far gone! He's my friend; have you not said before that friendship is a trait of the light? Doesn't that mean that as long as he can experience it he's still safe?"

The man seemed lost in through for a moment. "I…" He stopped. "I suppose that even if I told you once more to step away, you wouldn't do it."

Eraqus slowly nodded.

"You are making your own decisions now," the master said; there was a note of pride in his words. "Even if they differ from my own opinions, you are now one step closer to being a Keyblade Master."

"Thank you, master," Eraqus said with a slight bow of his head.

"But keep my concerns in mind," the master said. "You may leave now."

Eraqus didn't hesitate to leave.

He wasn't sure what to do. He knew that he was right; since Xehanort was not only his friend, but apparently _in love_ with him, he was sure that he was still able to be saved. But… he still had no idea how to go about convincing him to stay put and not seek more information about the darkness.

Perhaps… perhaps it would be possible to use his concern to his advantage; surely there must be some way to persuade him without lying. As much as Eraqus hated to use the word 'manipulate' it was what he would have to try to do.

He loved Xehanort, and would it really be that wrong to use that love to draw Xehanort away from the wrong path?

As happened so frequently, he found Xehanort waiting on the Cliffside. What was surprising were the emotions in his gold eyes: fear, despair… "You were listening again, weren't you," Eraqus asked with a sigh, pulling himself the rest on the way up onto the cliff.

Xehanort shook his head, but Eraqus knew he was lying. He scooted closer and waited for Xehanort to speak.

"Did he mean it when he said that I have fallen too deep into the darkness?" Xehanort asked shakily.

"He may have, but I don't believe him," Eraqus soothed, putting a hand on his secret boyfriend's shoulder.

Xehanort didn't seem to notice the touch. "He's right though; it is prophesized."

"The future can be changed—"

"No it can't," Xehanort argued. "I don't fear the darkness; I want to learn more."

"Hey," Eraqus said. "You don't want it to give in, right?" Xehanort nodded. "Then you just have to do everything you can to prevent it."

"How can I do that?" Xehanort implored, turning to look with desperate amber eyes. "What can I do?"

Eraqus paused. "I… I don't know for sure," he admitted. "But you can stay here; you can fight the desire to delve into the darkness."

Xehanort noticed the hand on his shoulder and grabbed it gently, lowering it so that their hands lay between them. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Then you won't," Eraqus assured, raising his other hand to gently run it through Xehanort's hair. "I know that you won't."

Xehanort calmed down. "You really believe that, don't you?" he marveled.

Eraqus nodded. "I promise that everything is going to be okay if I have anything to do about it."

Xehanort grinned. "Geez, I love you so much," he informed him.

"And I love you," Eraqus replied with a smile.

Xehanort's smile widened, as it always did when he heard those words, before he pulled Eraqus closer and moved in for a kiss. It was a gentle and caring brush of their lips together, fleeting but as amazing as always. "I'm glad that you believe in me," Xehanort said.

"I do believe in you," Eraqus agreed. "And that will never change."

((Author's note: There may be grammar errors, but I'm just so excited that I found this I could cry.))


End file.
